


You Are the Dreamer (We Are the Dream)

by amelespotamos



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: M/M, after two years i'm finally done with this, but let's pretend like i do, i don't know what i'm talking about, it feels like forever, okay two months but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-07-22 01:04:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7412416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amelespotamos/pseuds/amelespotamos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sungyeol opens his eyes slowly, squinting at the sun shining into them. The sky is blue; a bright, clear blue that he doesn't know the name of, but he's sure must be the most beautiful color he's ever seen. This must be Heaven, he thinks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I've been wanting to write for a while. At first I only had the title (which I stole from Fall Out Boy) and the prompt (Imagine your OTP/OT3 having never met before. They are very sick or badly injured and in the hospital, fading in and out of consciousness, and things are looking bleak with exception to the fact that whenever they fall asleep, they share a dream of getting to go anywhere they want together and do whatever they want, free from physical limitations, and become close through their sharing of this strange world as they attempt to recover). I took a few liberties with the prompt so it's not so much a dream as an actual place that they go to and they spend more time there than awake.
> 
> This part is mostly about the two of them in that world.

Sungyeol is sure he’s dead. It’s the only logical explanation he can think of—the fact that he’s still capable of thought isn’t lost on him, though. He doesn’t feel anything; not his fingers or his toes or any part of his body. He can’t tell if his eyes are open or not, but everything is black. He doesn’t hear anything either. Not at first. The sound comes slowly and quietly, like he’s underwater or very far away. It starts as a mumbling, but becomes clearer when he strains to hear it. Someone’s talking to him. Or maybe just near him. It takes him a moment to place the voice; his mind is sluggish and his memories are hard to recount.  


Sunggyu. Sunggyu is talking. He sounds tired, like he hasn’t slept or rested in days. “This is my fault,” he says. His voice sounds hoarse and Sungyeol wonders if he’s been yelling and if so, why. “It’s my fault.” Sungyeol wants to ask what Sunggyu is blaming himself for; he wants to know why he sounds so sad, so regretful. But he can’t seem to find his voice. When he struggles to move, to give any indication that he's heard Sunggyu, he starts to feel like he's falling. Sunggyu's voice fades away as Sungyeol is plunged back into nothingness.  


Unlike the first time, he regains consciousness all at once. The sound of waves lapping hits him at the same time as the scent of saltwater and the feel of sand underneath his palms. He opens his eyes slowly, squinting at the sun shining into them. The sky is blue; a bright, clear blue that he doesn't know the name of, but he's sure must be the most beautiful color he's ever seen. _This must be Heaven_ , he thinks. The thought doesn't send him into a panic like it probably should. He should be more worried about dying; he still has (had?) so much life ahead of him, things he wanted to do. But all he can think is that Heaven is not what he'd imagined it looking like.  


"Are you just going to lay there all day?"  


Sungyeol jumps at the new voice. He shoots up, looking around himself for the source. His eyes land on a man a few feet away. He's dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt. There's no expression on his face as he looks Sungyeol over. Of course Sungyeol isn't the only one in Heaven. That wouldn't make sense.  


"Are you an angel," he asks. The man's face is perfect enough for it.  


A small smile cracks the otherwise serious look on the man's face. "You're not dead," he tries to assure Sungyeol before correcting himself. "Not yet anyway."  


Sungyeol's eyes go wide. His heart and stomach both sink like stones. "Are you an angel of death?" The man (is he even human?) must be here to take his soul to the other side. Now the panic is starting to set in.  


"What?" The man looks thoroughly confused. He takes a step closer to Sungyeol. "I'm not an angel."  


"But—"  


"I told you: you're not dead."  


Sungyeol wants to argue. Most of the signs are pointing to death. But the man seems adamant in him believing otherwise. He stares down at Sungyeol, probably waiting for him to refute the claim. When Sungyeol only holds his gaze, the man moves to sit next to him. "I'm Myungsoo," he says in greeting as he holds out his hand.  


"Sungyeol." They shake hands tentatively, at least on Sungyeol's part. He's filled with curiosity and questions. "What is this place," he asks, looking around. In front of them an endless ocean stretches out. The waves crash onto the shore before receding and then come crashing in again. It's a rhythm Sungyeol finds calming for his racing mind. He watches the waves moving as he listens to Myungsoo's answer.  


"I'm not sure. It’s like a dream, but also reality. You can do whatever you want, be whatever you want. Everything looks and feels real, but it’s not. We're not dead, but we're not really alive either."  


"How do you know we're not dead? How did we get here?"  


"I don't know how it works," Myungsoo responds slowly. For someone who's not-quite-dead he seems strangely at peace. "This place is sort of somewhere in between being alive and dead. You can’t get seriously hurt; you don’t need to eat or sleep. It’s almost the same as being alive except… There’s something missing here. It’s hard to explain, but if you let yourself go to sleep you can go back to...back to your body, I guess."  


Sungyeol takes a minute to digest the information. "So, you're saying this is all in my head and I'm lying unconscious in a hospital somewhere?" Myungsoo nods in answer. "And I can go back? I can...I can wake up?"  


Myungsoo hesitates. He looks uncomfortable for the first time since they met. "Well, I've never gotten that far. I haven't woken up yet, but I've been awake in my head, if that makes sense. Like, I could hear the things happening around me. All of my senses were working, but I couldn't move; I couldn't even open my eyes." He looks down at the sand where he's drawing abstract shapes with his fingers.  


What little hope Sungyeol had been holding onto dissipates like smoke from a blown-out candle. There's a good chance he'll never leave this place. If he dies will he even realize it? Or will he just continue existing in this dream world forever?  


"Look, I didn't mean to crush your dreams or anything," Myungsoo apologizes. His hand hovers over Sungyeol's forearm like he's not sure if he's allowed to touch him. "You could still wake up."  


"How are you so sure?" Sungyeol doesn't know why he's putting so much stock into the words of a complete stranger. There’s no reason Myungsoo has to tell him the truth and no reason he should believe him. It must be the sadness in the other man's eyes that makes Sungyeol sure he can trust Myungsoo. They're both in this together—whatever "this" is—and Sungyeol can feel it, in his bones or his heart or his gut, that they can help each other. They need each other. They just have to figure out in what ways.  


Myungsoo shrugs, an odd smile playing on his lips. (Sungyeol's too distracted by the dimple that forms in one of the man's cheeks to wonder what the smile could mean.) "Anything can happen here."

 

  


∞

 

  


Myungsoo has no idea how long he's been in this place. It could be anywhere between a couple months to years. He remembers the accident that brought him here, though. It's impossible to forget. He had been out walking in the woods—alone, because that was how he'd liked to spend his time. It was that time of spring when everything was green and full of life and the sun was warm. It only seemed right that Myungsoo capture it all on film. With his camera hanging off his shoulder and no trail to guide him, he was wandering aimlessly when he found an old quarry. The sun had been just starting to dip down in the sky, almost half of it covered by the trees. Myungsoo had climbed onto a large rock near the edge of the quarry to get a better look at the rocks below. As he focused his camera on the scene in front of him, his foot slipped on a patch of moss he hadn't noticed on the way up. He teetered back and forth for a moment, trying to regain his balance, before his legs failed him and he fell head first down into the stone pit. Sharp edged rocks sliced at his face and arms as he tumbled. With his camera pulled close to his chest to protect it, his back and shoulders felt most of the impact. He landed at the bottom in a heap with a sickening crack when the side of his head hit a rock jutting out from the ground.  


A loud ringing in Myungsoo's ears replaced all other sound. Gasping for air, he stared up at the sky through blurry eyes. There was the coppery taste of blood in his mouth from when he'd bit his tongue during the fall. For a long while all he could do was lay there, every muscle and bone in his body screaming in pain. It had seemed like that was it for him; there was nothing he could do to save himself. He was going to die there. Alone, without anyone knowing where he was or what happened to him.  


But then he heard it. Music. The sound bounced off the walls of the quarry, ironically bright considering Myungsoo's current situation. It took most of his energy to turn his head to find the source of the music. Just a few feet from him was his phone, the screen lit up from the incoming call, but it might as well have been miles away. Both the fall and the loss of blood had stolen most of his strength. Any sort of movement felt impossible. Myungsoo would have given up at that moment if the thought of his family not knowing what happened to him (or worse, finding out too late) hadn't entered his mind. The last thing he wanted was to cause his parents any pain.  


It took an immense amount of effort for him to reach his arm out towards the phone. By then the music had stopped. The woods seemed silent without the noise despite the chirping birds and other sounds of nature. Even with his arm stretched out the phone was still too far away. The sharp rocks dug into his back as he inched closer. Just as his fingers grazed the edge of his phone, it started to ring again. Somehow that gave Myungsoo enough energy to get a good grip on the phone and pull it closer. It was a struggle to slide his finger across the cracked screen and then bring the phone as close to his ear as his aching arm could manage. His brother's confused voice greeted him on the other end. The static across the line from the weak cellular reception as well as a dizzy spell made it difficult for Myungsoo to fully understand his younger brother's words.  


"H-he...help..." Having still not recovered his breath, his voice came out in a gasp. There was a heavy weight on his chest keeping him from getting air fully into his lungs. His brother went silent on the other end, his quiet laughter cutting off abruptly. Myungsoo couldn't hear what the other said next. His head was swimming. Sights, sounds, feelings; everything mixed together until he was sure he was about to pass out. But he couldn't do that yet. First he had to tell Moonsoo where he was. So he could find him. So he could save him. It took a couple tries before he was able to get the words out. His tongue was failing him along with nearly every other part of him.  


The last thing Myungsoo remembers is his brother saying he would find him. And he must have because Myungsoo doesn't think he would be where he is now if Moonsoo hadn't found him. He owes his brother his life. If he can ever wake up.  


"So, if this place is in both of our heads, how do you know I'm not just a figment of your imagination?" Sungyeol had been quiet during Myungsoo's recounting of his accident. Apparently that's what he'd gotten out of such a horrible experience. "Or that I'm not imagining you for that matter?"  


Myungsoo stares at Sungyeol for a long moment. After their introductions, he had suggested they move to some place Sungyeol would feel more comfortable. He figured the other man would accept his current state more easily if he was in a familiar setting. Which is why they're sitting across from each other in a cozy little café. And because this is a strange place with strange rules, the typical sounds of a coffeehouse fill up the space around them despite the fact that they are the only two people around. There are even two half-empty cups of coffee on the table. (Not needing food doesn't mean they can't have anything if they want it.)  


Sungyeol isn't as freaked out by any of this as Myungsoo had thought he would be. Or as any normal person should be. His eyes had grown wide with wonder as the beach around them had faded before his eyes, the sky and sand and ocean blending and melting together and then solidifying into the walls of the café he used to frequent as a stressed out college student. Myungsoo could sense the excitement building in Sungyeol even as he'd only let out a muted "oh" at the sudden change of scenery.  


"That's a very detailed backstory your mind's created for me then," he finally answers Sungyeol. He doesn't plan on fighting the theory or insisting on his existence. Sungyeol can believe what he wants.  


Sungyeol shrugs, picking up his lukewarm Americano. "I've been known to have a very active imagination," he throws back before taking a sip of his drink.  


Myungsoo finds himself returning the smile Sungyeol sends his way. Albeit a more subdued one. "That explains why you thought I was an angel."  


"You try waking up suddenly in a strange place and have some guy show up out of nowhere," Sungyeol says, his tone bordering on defensive. There seems to be a hint of a blush dusting the apples of his cheeks.  


"I have. Just the waking up part, though," he clarifies. "It was only me before you came here."  


That piques Sungyeol's interest. He leans closer to Myungsoo, resting his forearms on the table. "You were here by yourself all this time?" He sounds slightly amazed, like he can't believe someone could survive completely alone without anyone to talk to.  


Myungsoo can understand the other man's surprise. Most people need to interact with another person to stay sane. And Myungsoo would include himself as one of those people. It's also incredibly lonely to be by yourself. But the thing about this world is that time is subjective here. While that's usually not a good thing, Myungsoo thinks it is in this case. There was a stifling loneliness that had settled over him and this place when he'd realized he was all alone. He didn't know when he would see another person again— _if_ he would see another person again. But since Sungyeol's arrival it feels like Myungsoo's solitude was only a few hours ago. Days, if he was being generous. It hardly feels like he'd spent most of his time in this place by himself.  


"It wasn't so bad," he tries to downplay the true extent of his isolation. The limitless possibilities of this world hadn't taken the sting out of the fact that he was alone. What good is having the world in the palm of his hands if he had no one to experience it?  


Sungyeol doesn't look very convinced. And with good reason. "Well, now you don't have to be here by yourself." He states it with a nod of his head as if to say he won't be going anywhere. His eyes hold Myungsoo's, wide and sincere and deep enough that Myungsoo feels he could fall into them and never get out.  


_Wait..._ Myungsoo shakes the thought away. Now's not the time for that—whatever that is. He should be advising Sungyeol to focus on trying to wake up. Getting out of this place would be better than making friends. Instead Myungsoo finds himself holding out his hand to the other man.  


Sungyeol stares at it for a confused moment. (Myungsoo can't blame him; he doesn't know what he's doing either.) A grin breaks out on Sungyeol's face as he reaches out to grab Myungsoo's hand. He shakes his hand like they've come to an agreement. To be friends as long as they're in this place? That Sungyeol will keep him company until one of them has to go? Whatever that agreement is, Myungsoo can't say that he's too concerned. He is, however, very concerned about the odd tingling he feels in his hand once Sungyeol lets it go. It's unlike anything he's felt before, in this world or the real one.

  
  

∞

  
  

Sunggyu is by his side the next time Sungyeol regains consciousness. And he's not alone; Sungyeol's brother is there too.  


"You don't have to stay here the whole time," Sungyeol hears Daeyeol saying from one side of his bed.  


Sunggyu's answer comes from his other side. He sounds as tired as he'd sounded the first time Sungyeol had heard him. "I can't just leave him alone like this."  


"He's not alone."  


"I know. I know he's not, but I just—I have to take care of him. I have to be here for him." The tremor in Sunggyu's voice sends a chill down Sungyeol's spine. He's never heard his friend like this. He sounds so desperate, so broken. And close to tears. In all the time he's known Sunggyu, he's never seen him cry. Not after a breakup or during a sad part in a movie and Sungyeol's almost certain onions wouldn't make him tear up either. This is the most emotional Sunggyu has ever been in front of Sungyeol. And Sungyeol isn't even fully sure as to why.  


Daeyeol's sigh is heavy. "And who's taking care of you," he counters. "You should go home. Bathe, eat, sleep, do something to distract yourself for a little bit. He'll still be here when you come back."  


"That's the problem." The room goes silent except for the sound of Sungyeol's heart monitor and he can imagine the two of them staring at each other over his still frame. He's caught by surprise by a hand that suddenly covers his own. It's warm and soft and Sungyeol can easily tell it belongs to Sunggyu. "I keep thinking I'll leave and as soon as I do something'll happen to him. Or I'll go and come back and he'll still be the same. He'll still be like this." Sungyeol thinks his heart could break from how sad his friend sounds. This isn't a side of Sunggyu he ever expected to see (well, hear in this case) or one he even knew existed. And it's because of him; Sunggyu is so close to tears and probably making himself sick from worrying because Sungyeol is stuck in his own head with no idea how to get out.  


Daeyeol sighs again. From the shuffling sound of shoes on the floor Sungyeol guesses he must be moving around the bed to Sunggyu's side. "Go home," he says gently, "Just for a little bit. You need to rest. You're no good to him if you end up in here too."  


Sungyeol expects Sunggyu to argue. From what he gathers, his friend hasn't left his side since he got here. While he appreciates the show of loyalty he doesn't like knowing that Sunggyu's suffering because of it. But he senses there's more to it than that. There's more to it than Sunggyu being a good friend. So after Sunggyu leaves with his shoulders slumped from both exhaustion and defeat and Daeyeol starts talking to him (it's mainly trivial things that he wouldn't have mentioned if Sungyeol was able to contribute to the conversation), Sungyeol gets to thinking. He thinks about Sunggyu’s odd behavior and how he ended up in the hospital in the first place. And then he starts remembering.

  
  

∞

  
  

They're at the beach again. It's a place Myungsoo had visited often to take pictures and just relax. He hasn't asked Sungyeol's opinion on their location, but the other man doesn't seem to mind. He's sprawled out on the sand in almost the exact same position Myungsoo had met him. Myungsoo's sitting next to him, observing his new companion. Sungyeol doesn't seem to mind that either. Probably because his eyes are closed. He hasn't changed out of the clothes he'd been wearing when he got hurt even though Myungsoo told him he could. A pair of dark wash jeans, a vintage-looking t-shirt, and worn sneakers. It suits him, Myungsoo concludes, the simple casual style. He looks like an easy, comfortable kind of guy.  


"Do you stare this intensely at everyone or am I special?"  


_Oh._ Myungsoo quickly averts his gaze, but avoids making any sounds that could be considered an admission. His friends always told him he had a staring problem. Oddly enough, it hadn't seemed like much of a problem to him up until now. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Sungyeol crack one eye open to look at him. Myungsoo hopes the sun is too bright for him to see the embarrassed flush coloring his entire face.  


"So which is it," Sungyeol presses. He snorts softly when Myungsoo stays silent. "Fine, you don't have to answer that." Getting up to his elbows, he fixes both eyes on Myungsoo. "Tell me what you do instead."  


"Here?"  


Sungyeol rolls his eyes. "I know what you do here—nothing. I meant what did you do before, when you were, you know?"  


"Alive," Myungsoo finishes for him. Sungyeol nods and sits up fully, crossing his legs as he turns to face Myungsoo. "I was an accountant."  


Sungyeol's nose wrinkles at the answer. "Accounting? That sounds so boring."  


Myungsoo laughs at the other's reaction. He's used to getting similar reactions. "It was kind of boring," he admits. "But I liked it. I like math." His smile turns bittersweet as he starts thinking about his job. Even though he'd only been working at the firm for just under a year, his boss had said he had shown promise. He did his work well and completed it on time. He was respectful to his superiors and well-liked by nearly everyone. (The exceptions were probably women he'd politely turned down at first and then had to be blunt with when they didn't get the hint.) He misses it; he misses walking into the building and greeting everyone and eating lunch with Minseok and Soojung and even the late nights and awkward company functions. He misses all of it.  


"I don't know how anyone can like doing math all day long," Sungyeol is saying, bringing Myungsoo out of his thoughts. "That's not me at all."  


Myungsoo takes that as his cue to turn the tables on the other man. "What about you? What did you like to do all day long?"  


Sungyeol shrugs, his eyes falling down to the ground between them. "Nothing, really," he answers honestly. The good-natured smile is gone. Myungsoo doesn't say anything in the hopes that he'll elaborate on his own. It takes a moment of silence—except for the crashing of the waves—before Sungyeol does. "I'm not working right now," he says quietly. "I'm—I don't really know what I want to do with myself. So I've been doing nothing." His mouth quirks at the weak joke, but it's not a real smile. "That's probably why I ended up here."  


Myungsoo furrows his brow, trying to find the connection. "What do you mean," he asks when his curiosity gets the best of him.  


Sungyeol turns to look out at the ocean. "Well, long story short: I had a fight with my friend over it and after I stormed off I got hit by a car."  


"You think you're being punished for not having your life figured out yet?" What Myungsoo really wants to ask is for the long story. He wants to know why Sungyeol fought with his friend and what led up to it. But he's not one to pry, especially when the other doesn't seem inclined to talk about it. Plus, they've really only just met; it's a bit early to exchange life stories.  


The humor comes back to Sungyeol's voice as well as his face. "When you say it like that it sounds irrational," he says, leaning back on his hands as he peers at Myungsoo from over his shoulder.  


"It is, isn't it? Even if you hadn't argued with your friend you could've still been hit by the car. You could've even had a full-time job and it still could've happened. The two aren't related at all."  


An amused smile spreads across Sungyeol's face. He turns back to face Myungsoo, an excited twinkle in his eyes. "So you're an expert on karma too?"  


Myungsoo tilts his head to the side in answer. He's smiling back at Sungyeol, equally entertained by their conversation. Maybe it's because he hasn't talked to anyone in so long that talking to Sungyeol feels so enjoyable and interesting. Or maybe it's just Sungyeol himself that interests him. "That's not karma," he says to chase away the errant thoughts. "That's just life. Or fate. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen."  


"You're wise too. I should come to you for advice while I'm here."  


Myungsoo brings his hand up to cover his mouth as he laughs. Sungyeol hasn't said anything funny, but the idea that Myungsoo has even the slightest grasp of life (especially in a place like this) is laughable enough. He tries not to read too much into the way Sungyeol looks at him as he laughs. Once his laughter subsides, he rises to his feet and dusts his pants off. "C'mon," he says, holding a hand out to help Sungyeol to his feet. The other man accepts it wordlessly. "As your mentor I should bestow my knowledge onto you."  


Sungyeol raises an eyebrow. "When did we agree on that title?"  


Looking down at where their hands are still connected, Myungsoo flounders for a second for an answer. "That's not important," he replies. "Where do you want to go first?"  


With a shrug, Sungyeol gestures at their surroundings. "This is your world. You lead the way."  


If Myungsoo smiles a bit wider after that, he doesn't think too much of it.

  


  


∞

  


"You can't be serious."  


"You said I could do whatever I want."  


"I know, but _this_?"  


"I can teach you if you don't know how."  


"I know how to roller-skate," Myungsoo says defensively. His hands are holding onto the waist-high wall of the roller rink even as he glares at Sungyeol. Of all the places in the world they could be, Sungyeol had to bring them here.  


Sungyeol skates over to him with a grin that shows off his gums. "The wall's not going anywhere," he teases. He pries Myungsoo's hands off of the wall (with some difficulty because Myungsoo's perfectly fine right here, thank you very much) and takes them into his own. "It'll be fun," he says reassuringly. He starts skating backwards with Myungsoo half-walking, half-skating in front of him.  


"If I fall I'm taking you down with me," Myungsoo warns. His heart is pounding in his chest and he won't even bother pretending it's not because of something other than his feeling of impending embarrassment. He just hopes Sungyeol doesn't notice how clammy his hands are. Sungyeol's laugh makes Myungsoo's heart stutter in his chest.  


"Don't worry, I won't let you fall." Sungyeol tightens his hold on Myungsoo's hands before letting go of one so they can skate side-by-side. Well, Sungyeol skates; for Myungsoo it's more like stumbling. "See, it's not that hard, right?"  


Myungsoo scoffs. Obviously it's easy for him. "You couldn't think of any other interesting thing to do?"  


"I've always wanted to go on a date in a roller rink. They looked like fun in the movies. Or bungee jumping. I've always wanted to try that too." Sungyeol wraps an arm around Myungsoo's waist when they make a turn and the other loses his balance. He holds Myungsoo close as they glide across the floor.  


"You just like tempting fate, don’t you," Myungsoo asks, mainly to distract himself from how unnecessarily close they are at the moment. It doesn't really work. He's more aware of Sungyeol than before. More aware of the warmth of his bare skin under Myungsoo's fingers where he's gripping Sungyeol's arm like a lifeline. Of how dazzling his smile is when there are only inches separating their faces. Of how nice he knows Sungyeol's smells even though he's not bold enough to lean closer for fear of making things weird. He didn't know he could feel like this in here. That he could feel so excited—so _alive_ —just being close to someone. It's not surprising considering it's only the two of them, but it is unexpected.  


Becoming friends had been one thing. Sungyeol is easy to talk to with a personality and sense of humor that Myungsoo couldn't help liking off the bat. Developing feelings for Sungyeol is something else entirely. Something that he isn't sure it's worth wanting. If by some miracle Sungyeol feels the same way about Myungsoo, what happens after that? How can they be together in this place? And what if one of them leaves? (Myungsoo doesn't want to think about what "leaving" could mean.) Any way he looks at it, it just doesn't seem like it'll work out.  


"I guess I'm a thrill seeker who hasn't learned his lesson." Sungyeol's voice brings Myungsoo back to the situation at hand. They've gone around the rink a couple times and there's an appropriate amount of space between them now. They're still holding hands, though.  


Myungsoo doesn't want Sungyeol to know how much he's enjoying it, but it probably shows on his face anyway. He bites his lip to hide the smile threatening to break out on his face. Just being next to Sungyeol makes him so happy. Even if it's futile, he can't help it.  


"What about you? What kind of date do you want to go on?" Sungyeol asks when Myungsoo gives him a confused look after the first question. He pulls Myungsoo over to a part of the wall so they can rest for a bit. His hand finally leaves Myungsoo's, but the intensity of his gaze makes up for the loss.  


Myungsoo shrugs, looking away from Sungyeol. "It doesn't really matter now..."  


"Of course it does."  


Biting back the disagreement that automatically bubbles up, Myungsoo studies Sungyeol's face instead. The other seems serious, about his question and Myungsoo's answer. Myungsoo doesn't understand why it's so important to him. Unless Sungyeol is planning on doing something with the knowledge of Myungsoo's ideal date. But that's not possible; he doesn't like Myungsoo the same way Myungsoo likes him. At least a full minute has passed and Sungyeol is still waiting for his answer. "You'll probably think it's really cheesy," he warns, mostly stalling for time. Sungyeol only shakes his head slightly. With a sigh, Myungsoo continues. "I always thought it would be nice to go out at night to, like, the countryside or somewhere and just stargaze. Without all the light pollution the stars would be really clear and we could lay on a blanket and, you know, count the stars and stuff."  


Myungsoo watches Sungyeol's face as he speaks. It's nothing exciting like the other's ideas, but Myungsoo had always thought that if he was with the person he loved, the where wasn't important. His friends used to call him a sap for thinking like that. He didn't mind it before, but the possibility of hearing it from Sungyeol fills him with dread. He doesn't want Sungyeol to think negatively of him in any way. While he hopes for a positive response, he's not prepared for the soft chuckle Sungyeol lets out. Or the warm look in his eyes as he slides a little closer to him.  


"That's so romantic." Sungyeol moves even closer, leaving only inches between them. And stealing Myungsoo's breath away. "And so you." He says it with a fondness Myungsoo thinks he must be imagining. "I'll have try not to disappoint."  


Muungsoo's eyes go wide, his hand tightening on the railing until his knuckles go white. His breath catches in his throat. "W-wha—are you—" The realization that Sungyeol might be asking him out—on a date to look at the stars, no less—is almost too much to handle.  


Sungyeol smiles at Myungsoo's dumbfounded expression. He puts his finger under the other's chin and gently pushes up to close his mouth. (If Myungsoo wasn't currently speechless, he would say thank you.) "You know, you're not as mysterious as you think you are," he informs Myungsoo. "You're about as mysterious as a goldfish."  


"What," Myungsoo croaks weakly. There are so many thoughts running through his head, too many, honestly. He's trying to process everything Sungyeol's just said, but his mind isn't moving at all.  


"I know you like me."  


"...Oh."  


Sungyeol laughs and closes the short distance between them so that Myungsoo has to crane his neck to look up at him. He moves his hand to rest on the back of Myungsoo's neck. "I like you, too," he admits. The anxious look in his eyes is very unlike him. He licks his lips nervously, drawing Myungsoo's eyes down to them briefly. "Can I..." He pauses to gather his courage—or so Myungsoo assumes. "Can I kiss you," he asks softly.  


The question's barely left his mouth before Myungsoo gives his answer. "Please." He's been fantasizing about this moment for days—weeks? Months? He doesn't know. What he does know is that Sungyeol is about to kiss him and he doesn't doubt the reality will live up to his fantasies.  


Sungyeol's eyes search Myungsoo's face, probably checking that it really is okay. His hand moves up Myungsoo's neck until the tips of his fingers dip into the hair at his nape. The other hand settles on the shorter man's hip comfortably, the warmth of it seeping through Myungsoo's shirt and kicking his heart into high gear. Sungyeol brings his head down slowly and stops a few inches away from Myungsoo's lips. It's like even after confirming their feelings and Myungsoo giving him permission, Sungyeol isn't entirely convinced. So he's now waiting for Myungsoo to meet him the rest of the way, for literal and figurative confirmation.  


Myungsoo is more than happy to oblige. He shifts forward slightly, lifting his heels off the floor to give himself some height. Except, that appears to be the wrong move as the wheels of his roller skates slide all too easily on the floor and neither his grip on the wall nor Sungyeol's hand on his hip are enough to anchor him. He tumbles forward and his forehead collides with Sungyeol's (solid) chin before his face meets Sungyeol's (also solid) chest, sending them both to the ground. He's in too much pain to be even a little happy to have Sungyeol lying beneath him.  


Winded and groaning, Sungyeol manages a weak laugh. "You weren't kidding," he wheezes. He lets out a couple more chuckles that sound more like pained moaning. "You really took me down with you." Myungsoo's laugh comes out a lot stronger than Sungyeol's. But that could be because he's not the one sprawled on the floor with a full grown person situated on top of him. "On the bright side, though, that’s one way to get me to fall for you."  


Myungsoo picks his head up from Sungyeol's chest (it’s so firm—he must work out) to look at him. "I can't believe I still like you when you say stuff like that. There must be something wrong with me."

  


∞

  


A date under the stars had seemed simple enough, but apparently Sungyeol was wrong. They're on a hillside Sungyeol remembers from summers spent with his grandparents out in the country. It's miles away from the bright lights that drown out the glow of the stars, offering a breathtaking view of the night sky. Sungyeol had expected Myungsoo to be ecstatic. He's delivering on his promise to take the other stargazing and yet Myungsoo seems far from thrilled. He hasn't said anything since Sungyeol let him uncover his eyes.  


"You don't like it. Did I forget something? Is it not how you imagined it," Sungyeol asks, searching Myungsoo's face for the answer. It's hard with only the moon and stars for light.  


Myungsoo's hand finds his in the dark and squeezes. "I do like it," he insists. "This is perfect. Really."  


Even without seeing his face clearly, Sungyeol can tell that's not how Myungsoo really feels. There's probably a part of him that truly is happy to be here with Sungyeol. He's mentioned a couple times that just having Sungyeol next to him is enough to make him happy. But all Sungyeol can hear in Myungsoo's voice is sadness. And he can't imagine why. Myungsoo had been fine leading up to Sungyeol's surprise, smiling and joking and making Sungyeol fall even more head over heels. He could hardly contain his excitement when Sungyeol had him cover his eyes. And then the big reveal came and Myungsoo had gone silent.  


"Are you sure?" Sungyeol isn't at all convinced that everything is okay. He wants Myungsoo to tell him the truth, but he doesn't want to force it out of him.  


Myungsoo hums a yes, pulling Sungyeol's hand into his lap. "Where are we, anyway? I don't think I've ever been to a place like this before." The sudden change in subject obviously means he doesn't want to admit whatever it is that's bothering him.  


Sungyeol makes out Myungsoo's head tilted up to look at the sky. The thought of reaching out to turn Myungsoo's head to face him and demanding the truth occurs to him. He hates feeling like Myungsoo doesn't trust him enough to be honest with him. He'd thought they were past that. In the end, Sungyeol answers Myungsoo's question. He tells the other about his grandparents’ home which eventually leads to him recounting several of his childhood adventures in the country with his brother. Myungsoo smiles and laughs and even shares a few memories of his own. He seems happy enough that Sungyeol almost forgets he had been worried about him. The reminder comes when they're out of words and lying on their backs on the grass. Their hands are still linked between them. Sungyeol stares up at the sky, marveling at the vastness of the universe even when it's all in his head—or their heads, however it goes. He can feel Myungsoo's eyes on him.  


"You're flattering me." Sungyeol rolls his head to the side to meet Myungsoo's gaze.  


Unlike the first time, the younger man isn’t embarrassed to be caught staring. "I can look at the stars anytime," he says dismissively.  


Sungyeol turns onto his side, shortening the distance between the two of them. He leans down to briefly connect their lips. When he pulls back, the light of the moon illuminates Myungsoo’s face, showing the same sadness in his eyes that Sungyeol had heard in his voice. "Do I still have to pretend you’re okay?"  


"I am okay."  


"No, you’re not," Sungyeol shoots back. He sits up with a frustrated huff, facing away from Myungsoo. "I don’t know if you’re disappointed with the date and you don’t want to make me feel bad. Or maybe there’s something else bothering you that you don’t want to talk to me about. I mean, maybe it’s me. Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me and I’m just not getting it?"  


Myungsoo turns Sungyeol’s head to get their eyes to meet. The corners of his eyes glisten with unshed tears. "It’s not you." His voice shakes at the end. Heaving a sigh, he rests his forehead against Sungyeol’s. He stays like that for almost a full minute as he takes deep breaths and blinks back his tears. "You’re perfect," he says softly. "I could never be upset with you. You haven’t done anything wrong. Ever. This date is everything I imagined and more. Especially because it’s with you. I feel so lucky to have met you even if it’s in a place like this."  


"Then what’s wrong?" Sungyeol wraps his arms around Myungsoo as the other buries his face in the crook of his neck. He knows they probably haven’t known each other for very long (or maybe they have; it’s hard to tell), but he feels like there’s something between them, something deeper and more meaningful than any other relationship he’s had before. It could be a shared bond from them both (hopefully) recovering from their injuries in the same space. That definitely explains their friendship. Sungyeol isn’t so sure it can explain their feelings for each other. Either way, though, being with Myungsoo has made him happier than he’s felt in months. "Tell me so I can help you," Sungyeol pleads, tightening his hold on the other man.  


Myungsoo lets out a sniffle, but doesn't move his head from Sungyeol's shoulder. "You can't... You can't help me. Not with this." He sniffles again and Sungyeol feels the stinging behind his eyes warning him of his own tears clawing their way out. He doesn't say anything, though, only buries his nose in Myungsoo's hair. His tears drop onto the strands as he breathes in the other's familiar scent. "You can't help because you're leaving," Myungsoo finally reveals in a choked whisper.  


Sungyeol doesn't think about how rough he's being as he lifts Myungsoo's head. "I'm not going anywhere," he states. His words are as firm as his hands holding Myungsoo’s face. In the beginning leaving had meant waking up, being alive and well, but now it means being without Myungsoo. Sungyeol knows it's selfish and unreasonable to want to stay with someone he could very well be imagining. (He's heard his parents and brother and even Sunggyu praying and begging for him to wake up.) But as illogical and overly dramatic as it sounds, he doesn't think he could live without Myungsoo. He means too much to him to let him go so easily. His fingers run down the tracks of tears on Myungsoo's face, wiping them away.  


"It doesn't matter." Myungsoo pulls Sungyeol's hands off of his face. "Your time is up."  


Sungyeol swipes at his own damp cheeks. He wants to stamp his foot like a child and whine that it's not fair. "How are you so sure," he asks instead. Myungsoo seems to know more about Sungyeol's condition than Sungyeol himself. "And where am I going?" He doesn't think he's dying; he's sure he would feel differently if he was.  


Myungsoo shakes his head, looking down at the ground. "I don’t know how I know; I can just tell. It’s time for you to wake up."  


"I don’t want to."  


"I don’t want you to either," Myungsoo admits with a sad smile. "It’s selfish of me to want to keep you to myself when you have more important people that need you."  


"And what about you? What’s going to happen to you?" Sungyeol doesn’t want to think about Myungsoo being all alone again. Myungsoo only shrugs. "You have to wake up too," Sungyeol tells him desperately. Fresh tears spring to his eyes at the thought of never seeing Myungsoo again. "I don’t want to leave you here by yourself. You have to wake up so we can be together, okay?"  


Myungsoo nods, moving to hold Sungyeol tightly in his arms as if he might disappear at any moment. "But how are we supposed to find each other out there," he sighs against the other’s shoulder.  


Sungyeol hadn’t given that a lot of thought before, but he doesn’t think it’ll be too hard. There’s a good chance they’re in the same hospital and considering their conditions, it’s likely that they’re on the same floor too. Even if Myungsoo is on the other side of the country, Sungyeol won’t stop searching for him until he finds him. "I’ll find you," he promises, to both Myungsoo and himself. "No matter what, I’ll find you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello~ After two months I'm finally back with the rest of this story. And, fittingly enough, it's the same day that Infinite came back (yay!)
> 
> I actually started working on this part a couple weeks ago. I was hoping to post it sooner, but... writing is hard. So this is the part where they wake up and find each other and live happily ever after because I don't do angst. The ending is kind of sudden and weird partially because I didn't know how else to end it, but mainly because the word count was a nice even number and I didn't want to mess it up with more words. There's a little bit of woogyu and I kinda wish I'd put more, so that means I could very well end up expanding on that somewhere at some point. I should stop talking now so you can finally finish the story. (If you need to re-read the first chapter to refresh your memory, I wouldn't blame you. I had to do the same thing.)

Sungyeol's eyes feel like they're taped shut when he tries to open them. He nearly gives up from the effort and when he finally gets them open it's takes even more work to keep them that way. His eyes roam around the room, focusing on one object at a time. There's a small collection of flowers, get well cards, balloons, and trinkets probably picked up at the hospital gift shop in one corner. The blinds are open to let in the afternoon sunlight and its rays fall on the bottom half of his bed. His eyes land on the open door opposite the window. It must be the bathroom. The sound of running water reaches Sungyeol's ears, making him wonder who's watching over him at the moment.

He gets his answer seconds later when the water shuts off and Sunggyu steps through the door. There's a vase in his hands with fresh flowers. He glances at Sungyeol briefly as he passes his bed, probably out of habit. His shoes squeak on the floor as he comes to an abrupt stop. The sound of the vase shattering breaks the stillness of the room. Sunggyu doesn't seem to have noticed he's dropped it. His eyes are fixed on Sungyeol, his mouth gaping with no sound coming out.

Sungyeol stares back. He doesn't have the strength to speak or even move. All he can do is watch Sunggyu as he realizes his friend is awake for the first time in Sungyeol has no idea how long. He knows the other man has been with him nearly every day that he's been in the hospital. Every time Sungyeol regained consciousness he would hear Sunggyu talking to him or moving around the room. Even when Sunggyu had been asleep, slumped in a chair next to the bed most likely, Sungyeol could still tell he was close by. So it's fitting that Sunggyu is the first person he sees when he wakes up.

Sunggyu backs away slowly, oblivious to the glass crunching under his feet. When his body finally catches up with his mind, he turns around to rush out of the room. He calls for a nurse before he even gets the door open. It seems like it takes him only seconds to return—that could also be because Sungyeol lets his eyes fall shut for a moment to rest from the effort of keeping them open. He must have started to doze off when Sunggyu storms back into the room and rushes to his bedside. His eyes flutter open at the sound of his name from Sunggyu and he looks up at his friend. He's panting slightly from running, his face red and his eyes shining with unshed tears. He takes Sungyeol's hand as the nurse gives Sungyeol a brief once-over while they wait for the doctor to arrive.

Once she does, the rest of the day is a blur to Sungyeol. He's put through a check-up, several tests, and a tearful reunion with his family. By the end of it all it's nearly impossible for him to keep his eyes open. Despite sleeping for the past month and a half (as the doctor had informed him), that's all he wants to do. To no one's surprise, Sunggyu volunteers to stay with Sungyeol overnight. Daeyeol tries to dissuade him, arguing that Sunggyu hasn't left Sungyeol's side in days, but the older man is too stubborn. He's sitting resolutely in the chair next to Sungyeol's bed when Sungyeol's family leaves.

Without his voice and on the verge of falling asleep, Sungyeol doesn't think he's the best company at the moment. Talking to him now would be about as interesting as when he was unconscious. But Sunggyu doesn't seem to mind. Rather than trying to hold a conversation, he seems content to just sit close to Sungyeol. 

He falls asleep first and Sungyeol doesn't doubt it's the most restful sleep his friend has had in a long while, even with the uncomfortable position he's in. Sungyeol, on the other hand, drifts off to a dreamless sleep. A part of him hopes that he'll go back to the limbo he'd spent over a month in—and get to see Myungsoo again—but when Sunggyu gently shakes him awake the next morning he doesn't remember anything.

"For a second there I was afraid you weren't going to wake up," Sunggyu laughs, breathing an audible sigh of relief.

Sungyeol can't bring himself to feel entirely the same. He is very happy that he survived and is recovering, but there's also a sense of disappointment. Or just a feeling of something missing. In the confusion of being checked and fussed over, Sungyeol had momentarily forgotten his promise. Now that he's rested and can actually think, it's all coming back to him. He remembers his time with Myungsoo, bonding with him, falling for him, and having to say goodbye. He had promised he would find Myungsoo no matter what it took. If he's going to fulfill that promise, he resolves, then he needs to regain his strength.

  


∞

_Three Weeks Later_

  


"What took you so long," Sungyeol whines at Sunggyu when he steps into the room. He's been waiting for his friend to come back from his job so he can take Sungyeol for their usual walk. Well, it's more like a push for Sungyeol. The accident had broken his leg in two places and with the cast still on he gets around with the help of a wheelchair. (He'd also bruised a few ribs as well as most of the right side of his body, but those injuries are nearly healed.) Sungyeol could very well get one of the nurses to push him around—they all adore him, even the male ones who he'd won over with his puppy-like qualities. But he and Sunggyu had come to an agreement of sorts. Although he still insists on taking care of Sungyeol, Sunggyu is now limited to spending only a few hours a day at the hospital. Sunggyu hadn't been very enthused by the idea, but he understood that his priorities needed to be sorted out. (Sungyeol had joked that Sunggyu needed to keep his job so he would have a place for Sungyeol to stay when he finally got out.) So now he only visits Sungyeol in the afternoons or late evenings and takes him out of his room to get fresh air. He spends more time at home than the hospital and Sungyeol's sure he's not the only one relieved by that fact. 

Sunggyu walks over to the wheelchair in the corner by the door and pushes it closer to Sungyeol's bed. "Don't let the past couple of months fool you," he tells Sungyeol, positioning the chair next to the bed. "My life doesn't revolve around you."

Sungyeol only rolls his eyes. Now that he knows Sungyeol's going to be fine, Sunggyu likes to pretend he's not that concerned about him. The fact that he shows up every day (much more often than Sungyeol's family) easily gives him away. Sungyeol holds onto Sunggyu's shoulder as he slowly stands on his good leg. His body is stiff from laying down all day. He eases into the wheelchair, a quiet groan escaping once he settles in. They've been cutting down on his painkillers for the past week. Thankfully, he's really only experiencing discomfort instead of pain. He lets go of Sunggyu once he's in the chair and the other moves to stand behind it.

"Good to go?"

Sungyeol gives him a thumbs up in response. He's been ready for the last half hour. "Let's pass by the nurses' station on the way down," he suggests. A teasing smile plays on his lips when he tilts his head back to look up at his friend. "I think there's someone who wants to say hi to you."

"Shut up." Sunggyu pushes Sungyeol's head to get him to look away before he starts pushing the wheelchair. He doesn't say anything else until they're going through the door. "And I already said hi to him," he mumbles. He pushes at Sungyeol's head again when he turns his grinning face up to Sunggyu.

"You should ask him out before you can't use me as an excuse to be here." As fun as it is teasing Sunggyu, Sungyeol can tell the other has it bad for one of the male nurses. He's taken over enough of the older man's life, he would hate to be responsible for getting in the way of his friend's love life as well. And it's not like Sunggyu's alone in his little crush. The look in Woohyun's eyes tells Sungyeol all he needs to know about the RN's feelings for Sunggyu. All the two of them need is a push to admit their feelings—preferably to each other. Sungyeol is more than happy to be the one to do it.

Sunggyu scoffs to hide his embarrassment. He must've thought he was being subtle the whole time. "There's still the rehab for your leg," he states like he's seriously planning on dragging out his flirtation with Woohyun for another month before asking him out.

Sungyeol looks up at Sunggyu in horror. That sounds like torture, for him and Woohyun. "What did Woohyun do to end up falling for a coward like you?"

The wheelchair stops abruptly as Sunggyu pulls his arms up to cross them over his chest. "Well, it's not like he's made a move either," he huffs in frustration.

_Forget a push_ , Sungyeol thinks to himself, _these two need a shove_. "You two are hopeless," he tells his friend. Sunggyu sighs, an agreement of sorts, and starts pushing the chair again. They pass several rooms and turn a couple corners until they come to the floor's nurses' station. There's a man behind the desk. He glances at the computer screen in front of him as he writes in a folder. With his attention on his task, he doesn't notice Sungyeol and Sunggyu approaching him.

"Your favorite patient is here," Sungyeol calls out to him.

Woohyun looks up, startled, before his eyes settle on the two men. His face softens into a smile. "That's debatable," he replies, closing the folder he'd been writing in and leaning forward on the desk.

"Your favorite friend-of-a-patient is here, then."

The smile freezes on Woohyun's face as his eyes immediately go to Sunggyu. They stare at each other for a moment in which Sungyeol thinks they're finally going to confess their feelings. But of course things are never that easy. Woohyun looks away first. He brings back his smile for Sungyeol, though it doesn't seem nearly as genuine as before. "I have that thing you wanted me to find for you," he says to change the subject. After a moment of searching the paper-strewn desk, he plucks a little square sticky note from the top of the computer monitor. "I went through a lot of trouble to get this." He holds the note out for Sungyeol to take, but pulls his hand back at the last moment. "I hope you know how illegal this is," he says.

Sungyeol lets out a sharp breath. "Yeah, I know. I owe you big time for this." Being friendly with the hospital staff had its perks. And Sungyeol couldn't help exploiting that fact to speed up his search for Myungsoo. He hadn't set out on winning over and then using anyone to get the information he needed. He's just a likable person—although Sunggyu would argue he's more like a tick you can't shake off. And it's not like he bribed Woohyun or blackmailed him into doing him a favor. He'd more or less explained the situation to the nurse and Woohyun had been completely willing to help as a friend. He knows just how to repay the other man too. "Don't worry," he says as he accepts the piece of paper from Woohyun. "I'll make sure Sunggyu takes you out on a date before I leave here."

Sunggyu lets out a mortified squawk while Woohyun takes it in stride. His smile reaches his eyes this time as he looks at Sunggyu. "I'll look forward to that."

"O-okay." Ever the coward, Sunggyu bows his head and pushes Sungyeol's wheelchair past the nurses' station. "I should make you take the stairs," he hisses at Sungyeol once they're out of Woohyun's earshot.

Sungyeol doesn't take the threat seriously. Sunggyu will be grateful for his help later. He looks down at the sticky note Woohyun gave him. There's a room number on it and fortunately it's on the same floor. "Take a turn up here," he directs Sunggyu before they reach the elevators. Normally, they would go down to the main floor to get to the garden in the back of the hospital. Today is different.

"We're not going outside?" Sunggyu's slows to a stop at the turn Sungyeol had pointed out.

"We have a field trip today," he answers. He holds up the note for Sunggyu to read. "I'm trying to find this room."

"Do I want to know why?"

Out of curiosity Sunggyu had asked Sungyeol about the time he'd spent unconscious. He'd answered vaguely out of fear of his friend not believing his experience; it does sound far-fetched. But Sungyeol believes it was real—he _knows_ it was. Everything he'd felt, especially his feelings for Myungsoo, he knows that was real because he still feels the same now that he's awake. Sungyeol doesn't know how he's going to explain how he knows Myungsoo or how they met. But he'll worry about that later. First, he has to actually find him.

"It's probably better if you don't."

Any words of caution Sunggyu might have are held back as he starts pushing the wheelchair again. They turn the corner and Sungyeol counts off the room numbers as they pass them. Rather than being discouraged when they reach the end of the hallway without finding the room, Sungyeol grows more confident, giving Sunggyu more directions like he knows exactly where he's going. It's not until they reach the other end of the floor that the numbers by the doors start to resemble the ones on the note in Sungyeol's hand. His heart speeds up in his chest as the room gets closer. By the time Sunggyu stops in front of the door Sungyeol's heart feels like it's in his throat.

"Wait," he says when Sunggyu goes to open the door. He needs a minute to prepare himself. Besides the fact that he'll be seeing Myungsoo for the first time in real life, the other will be unconscious and there's no guarantee that he'll respond, that he'll know Sungyeol's with him. Sungyeol doesn't want to get his hopes too high. He nods to Sunggyu when he's ready.

Sungyeol's eyes are glued to Myungsoo as he enters the room. He looks nearly the same as Sungyeol remembers him. His hair is a bit longer and his face is paler and thinner, but other than that he's the same.

"Do you know him," Sunggyu asks softly. The room is almost too quiet to speak any louder. Sungyeol can only manage a short nod. His throat feels tight, the pressure behind his eyes signaling tears building up. He doesn't know why he suddenly feels so emotional. It could be either from seeing Myungsoo again after so long or not knowing how he's supposed to wake him up. Or maybe it’s just seeing him like this, still and fragile-looking. It’s such a change from the man he’d come to know.

Sunggyu doesn't press him for more information; he only pushes the wheelchair up to the side of Myungsoo's bed. And Sungyeol's grateful. He doubts he would be able to get any words out at the moment. Blinking back the tears that are fighting to get out, he struggles to stand up on his unbroken leg. Sunggyu grabs his arm to steady him. "What the hell do you think you're doing," he half-asks, half-scolds. But he still helps Sungyeol out of the chair and over to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. And like the best friend that he is, he senses the mood in the room and excuses himself. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

Sungyeol waits until the door slides closed behind him before he scoots closer to Myungsoo on the bed. He takes a hold of the other's hand and rests his head on his shoulder. "Myungsoo," he calls quietly (hopefully). He takes the slow movement of Myungsoo's chest as he breathes as an answer. "I found you. Like I promised I would. So you have to wake up now, okay?" He doesn't feel disappointed by the lack of response. Sunggyu and his family were always talking to him while he was in his coma, like they were having a conversation rather than talking to themselves. He has no way of knowing if Myungsoo can hear him now, but he chooses to think positively. He squeezes Myungsoo's hand, hoping the other can feel it and know Sungyeol's with him. "I know there's not much I can do, but I'll come visit you—every day if I have to—until you wake up." Before he calls Sunggyu back into the room, he leans over to press a kiss to Myungsoo's forehead.

  


∞

  


Sunggyu doesn't ask him anything about Myungsoo even though Sungyeol's sure he's dying to know. But he does bring Sungyeol back to Myungsoo's room, gradually turning their daily walks into visits. Sungyeol doesn't even have to beg him to do it; he agrees the first time Sungyeol asks. While Sunggyu claims he's just being nice, Sungyeol knows it's mostly because the older man thinks he owes him at least that much. There's still a part of Sunggyu that believes Sungyeol's accident was his fault. No matter how many times Sungyeol insists that the other has nothing to feel guilty about, he can tell his friend isn't entirely convinced. He can only hope Sunggyu will go easier on himself once he fully recovers.

"You're not going to ask about him," Sungyeol asks a week after he'd first found Myungsoo. The route to Myungsoo's room is more familiar now and shorter.

"Are you going to tell me if I do?" Sunggyu's voice is hopeful, but also careful. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he insists before Sungyeol can say anything. "I'm not trying to pressure you."

Sungyeol hesitates before responding. The whole truth still seems too difficult to admit. "I... I'm in love with him." He'd never told Myungsoo that, or even thought that was how he felt, but now he knows for sure.

"Well, I knew that," Sunggyu says as they turn into the hallway where Myungsoo's room is. "We wouldn't be here now if you weren't." He doesn't say it, but Sungyeol can tell he would rather hear how they met or who Myungsoo is exactly.

The door is open when they reach Myungsoo's room. Inside, there's an orderly changing the sheets on the bed Myungsoo had been lying in the day before. Panic rises swiftly in Sungyeol's gut even as he tells himself not to jump to conclusions. He's afraid of something bad happening to Myungsoo. Especially when he'd seemed fine the last time he saw him, albeit unresponsive. "Where is he," he all but demands. Sunggyu's hand on his shoulder urges him to calm down.

The orderly, an older woman Sungyeol thinks he's seen around the hospital, jumps at the sudden question. She has a hand over her heart as she turns to look at the two men in the doorway. "Goodness, you scared me. Don't show up so suddenly."

"Sorry," Sunggyu apologizes for Sungyeol's mildly rude behavior, bowing his head slightly. "What happened to the man who was in here before? He's a friend," he assures her when she looks reluctant to answer.

The woman goes back to pulling off the old sheets on the bed. "They took him down for some tests about an hour ago."

"You mean he's awake?" Sungyeol tamps down the panic that surges up again. The same thing happened to him when he woke up. There's nothing to worry about.

"Mhm, it was the strangest thing. His mother came in to see him and found him trying to get out of the bed." She dumps the sheets into the hamper she has next to the bed. "Can you believe that," she asks, pausing in adjusting a clean sheet on the bed to look over at Sungyeol and Sunggyu. "After six months he just wakes up like he was taking a nap. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."

There are so many questions Sungyeol wants to ask. But he doubts the woman would have any of the answers. Sunggyu speaks up for him when he isn't able to find any words. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"It might be a while still," the woman shrugs.

Sunggyu thanks the orderly for her time and excuses himself and Sungyeol. As they're heading back the way they came, he pats Sungyeol's shoulder comfortingly. "You can ask Woohyun to tell you when he comes back," he offers. "And maybe while you're waiting you can tell me about this Myungsoo you say you're in love with."

Sungyeol can't help the laughter that bubbles up and over the worry weighing down his chest. Sunggyu's been tip-toeing around the subject for Sungyeol's sake, but now he's not even bothering to mask his eagerness. Sungyeol's more than happy for the distraction. Tilting his head back to look up at Sunggyu, he says, "I was wondering when you'd come right out and ask."

"I was being nice," Sunggyu defends himself. "It was killing me not to say anything, though." He sighs heavily for dramatic effect, making Sungyeol snort.

All too soon, they reach the nurses' station where Woohyun is sitting with another nurse. Sungyeol's good mood dims enough to wipe the smile from his face. He isn't expecting Woohyun to be one step ahead of them. "I was going to tell you as soon as I heard," he says when he catches sight of Sungyeol and Sunggyu. His concern is written all over his face. "But I got called to the ER. I'll let you know if I hear anything else, okay?"

  


∞

  


_This is stupid. You've done this before, why is it so hard now_ , Sungyeol scolds himself. Except he knows exactly why this time is so difficult. For the first time ever (or in a month or so, depending on how one looks at it), he's about to see Myungsoo face-to-face and talk to him and touch him and be with him and it scares him. Or it just makes him really, really nervous. Enough so that he almost wants to turn around and go back to his room. He knows he promised the other man that he would find him so they could be together and that seeing him in person isn't that much different from seeing him in their shared dream world. But it kind of is. It's _real_ now. And there's a teeny tiny (but still incredibly loud) part of him that's afraid of that being enough to change Myungsoo's mind about the two of them. Or that he'd forgotten about Sungyeol in the time he'd been alone after Sungyeol left.

_Don't be ridiculous._ Sunggyu's voice rings in his head, loud enough that he looks around expecting to find his friend in the hallway with him. But it's only him. He is being ridiculous, isn’t he? Up until this point, he’d been so confident about their feelings for each other, about their relationship. He shouldn’t let his doubts hold him back now that he’s finally reached his goal.

Sungyeol reaches out to knock on the door before he can second guess himself. An unfamiliar voice calls him into the room and he slides the door open after only a moment’s hesitation. There’s a young man standing in front of the bed, blocking Sungyeol’s view of Myungsoo. He guesses the other must be the younger brother Myungsoo had mentioned several times. Moonsoo, if he remembers correctly. "Hi," he starts nervously as he wheels himself into the room. This is the first time he’s run into anyone else in Myungsoo’s room. He’d managed to avoid having to meet anyone in Myungsoo’s family and subsequently having to explain their relationship up to now. But, really, it was bound to happen sooner or later. "My name is Sungyeol. I’m… I’m a friend of Myungsoo’s."

The bed shifts at the same time that Myungsoo’s brother asks, " _You’re_ Sungyeol?"

"Yes?" Sungyeol is just as surprised as the guy in front of him, as well as confused.

"He was asking about you."

"He was?" It’s only been a day since Myungsoo woke up; Sungyeol can’t imagine him having the energy to do much of anything just yet.

"Well, not quite. He couldn’t really talk after he woke up, but he kept trying to tell us something. We didn’t know what he meant when he wrote it down, though. And don’t take this the wrong way, but I wasn’t really expecting you to be what—or _who_ my brother was talking about. He never mentioned you before now." An urgent sound from Myungsoo interrupts him so Moonsoo turns to look at his brother. Their conversation, although short and wordless, has the younger man chuckling softly when he turns back to Sungyeol. "I’m being kicked out now, so I guess that means you two have private things you need to talk about."

Sungyeol is still at a loss for words. His previous worries about Myungsoo have been eased by Moonsoo's words. He hasn't left Myungsoo's mind at all since the last time they saw each other. Knowing that, he's a lot less nervous now. "I'll try not to keep him too long," he says. He knows it’ll be a while before Myungsoo feels more like himself.

"Take all the time you need." Moonsoo gives him a reassuring smile. "Besides, I think Myungsoo missed you a lot." A sound that’s part groan and part whine comes from behind him, making him laugh.

Sungyeol flushes bright red. Obviously there’s no fooling Moonsoo about their relationship. He doesn’t say anything else as the younger man steps around him and leaves the room. He doesn’t even know how to respond to that. And then his eyes fall on Myungsoo in his bed and he forgets his embarrassment. It's like he falls in love all over again. (Even though he hadn't realized he was falling in love in the first place.)

"I found you." It's the first thing that comes to Sungyeol's mind. As obvious as it is, he still feels the need to say it. He brings the wheelchair closer to the bed before slowly standing up on his good leg. Myungsoo reaches out for him, worry etched onto his face as he eyes the cast on Sungyeol's leg, and he opens his mouth to speak. Nothing comes out, but Sungyeol already knows what he wants to say. "I'm okay," he says, although he lets the younger man hold onto his arms as he hobbles to his side. "It's coming off soon anyway."

After some awkward shuffling on both their parts (and a blatant disregard for possible weight limits), they end up on their sides facing each other on the bed. Myungsoo brings his hand up to run his fingertips across Sungyeol's cheek. There's a look of awe on his face like he can't believe Sungyeol is really there in front of him. Sungyeol wonders if he's making sure when he leans in. His eyes fall shut just before Myungsoo's lips touch his own. And even though they've done this before, even though it had felt just as real as it does now, somehow it feels like the first time. He puts his hand over the one Myungsoo has resting on his face when they pull away from each other.

"I love you," he confesses. It doesn't make him as nervous as he'd thought it would, admitting his feelings. In fact, he's even more sure of it now than he had been when he'd told Sunggyu. He nearly ends up with a mouthful of Myungsoo's hair as the other crashes into him for a hug. His arms hold on tightly to Sungyeol, as if he's afraid the older man might disappear. Sungyeol holds him back just as fiercely. After all they've been through (independently and together), it kind of feels too good to be true that they're together again. Sungyeol has every intention of keeping it that way, though.

"I think visiting hours are ending soon," he says a couple minutes later. Myungsoo's arms tighten briefly around Sungyeol before letting him go completely. He doesn't look very pleased with the amount of space between them. Sungyeol laughs at the other's pout. Myungsoo's still as cute as ever. "I'll be back tomorrow." It's another promise he intends to keep. "And the next day," he continues, leaning in to leave a quick kiss on Myungsoo's lips. "And the next day." Another peck. "And the day after that." When he leans in a third time, Myungsoo takes a hold of his face to keep him close. The short kiss turns into something longer, deeper when Myungsoo opens his mouth. All thoughts of leaving disappear from Sungyeol’s mind.

Paying close attention to Sungyeol’s broken leg, Myungsoo wraps himself around the other man again. "Don’t go," he rasps against the older man’s lips.

Sungyeol lets out a breathless laugh. If only it was that simple. As tightly as he might have most of the floor's staff wrapped around his finger, they still have authority over him. They are the ones that have been taking care of him and helping him heal after all. "I can get away with a lot of things here, but, unfortunately, that's not one of them. I'll be back as soon as I can tomorrow. And then we can spend the whole day together, okay?" In lieu of an answer, Myungsoo covers his face with his hands, turning away from Sungyeol slightly. "What? What is it," Sungyeol asks in confusion. He can't tell if he should be worried.

Myungsoo peeks at him through his fingers. His reply is muffled by his hands. "I must sound like such a spoiled brat. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Sungyeol reaches over to pull down Myungsoo's hands so he can see his face. Myungsoo lets him, but avoids his eyes. "I missed you, too. If I could I would stay here with you." He can understand how Myungsoo feels at the moment. He had to say goodbye to Sungyeol without knowing if they would ever see each other again. The month he’d spent by himself in their shared limbo must have felt like an eternity. And then seeing Sungyeol again, someone who’s been through the same thing as him, someone he’s shared so much of himself with and gotten so close to. It makes sense that he wouldn’t want to let Sungyeol out of his sight. Especially since Sungyeol feels the same way.

There's a sense of urgency the next time Myungsoo leans in to kiss him. It could be because someone could barge into the room at any moment, but Sungyeol doesn't think that's the reason. Myungsoo clings to the front of Sungyeol's hospital gown as he presses their lips together. Sungyeol tries to match the other's eagerness even though he doesn't see the need to rush. When Myungsoo breaks the kiss to allow them to breathe, Sungyeol takes the opportunity to study the younger man's face. He seems more tired than anything else, a slight frown pulling down the corners of his mouth. Underneath it Sungyeol catches a hint of fear in Myungsoo's eyes as well as sadness. His heart clenches at the sight.

"I love you, too," Myungsoo says before Sungyeol can say anything. His hands have loosened their hold on Sungyeol's gown, opting for sliding down the other's chest to hold onto his waist. "I don't want to lose you again. I can't."

Sungyeol smiles at Myungsoo's honesty. He'd never doubted that the feeling was mutual; Myungsoo has always worn his heart on his sleeve. It feels really good to hear the words, though. "I'm not going anywhere." He places a soft kiss to Myungsoo's forehead and then another on his nose. "But I mean that metaphorically," he adds. "Because literally, I do have to go."

Myungsoo's laugh is hoarse, but it still eases the tension that had started to knot up Sungyeol's shoulders. "Remind me again why I like you?"

"'Love me'," Sungyeol corrects him. "And I'll be happy to." They're both grinning when their lips meet again.

  


∞

_Two Months Later_

  


The heat of summer is almost completely gone, the air now cool and the sun less blistering. The leaves have started to change color and fall from the trees. Soon enough there'll be cold days and colder nights and snow, but Sungyeol just wants to enjoy the weather as it is now. Just like he wants to enjoy one of the last dates he and Myungsoo will be able to go on for a while. The younger man is set to start working at his old accounting firm the following week. He'd wanted to go back sooner, but his boss insisted that he rest more. (Myungsoo had whined to Sungyeol that he'd been resting for eight months already; another week was just torture.) There's no doubting that he's eager to work again, though Sungyeol doesn't quite see the appeal in doing math for eight hours a day.

As for Sungyeol, he'd decided to try his hand at cooking. He's been taking a couple classes and working towards becoming certified. And now, thanks to yet another favor from Woohyun, Sungyeol is about to start working in a restaurant. Technically, it's more of an internship than an actual job, but he's excited for the experience. Even if it means he's stuck washing dishes for the first few months. He finally feels like his life has meaning; like he's not just taking up space.

The warmth of Myungsoo's hand in his own pulls him from his thoughts. He looks over at his boyfriend in surprised confusion. The street isn't crowded enough for them to get separated. Sungyeol doubts that's why Myungsoo reached out for him in the first place. "So which stew are we having tonight," he asks as they stop at a crosswalk. For some strange reason—a side effect of the coma is Sungyeol's theory—Myungsoo is determined to try everything once. At the moment that mainly pertains to food.

"That was last week. This week is noodles."

Sungyeol lets out a long-suffering sigh. "What _noodles_ are we having tonight, then?"

"What do you want?" The sign turns to walk and they start moving again, no destination in mind just yet.

"I asked you first," Sungyeol laughs. "But if it's noodles, I have a couple packs of ramyun at home that I should use up. I could cook for you and then we could watch a movie or something." That actually sounds a lot more appealing than going anywhere else. Bouncing a bit from excitement, Sungyeol steps in front of Myungsoo, bringing them both to a halt. "Ooh, let’s do that," he suggests. "Let’s go back to my place. Or yours, whichever’s fine."

"What kind of a cheap date is that?" Myungsoo tries to sound offended, but it comes out more cutely exasperated. Probably because Sungyeol is not-so-subtly batting his eyelashes and leaning forward in the way he knows flusters his boyfriend. Myungsoo looks up at him with so much affection it’s a wonder he hasn’t already pulled Sungyeol into his arms.

The month they’d spent together in their comas hadn’t quite prepared Sungyeol for all of who Kim Myungsoo is. His boyfriend is sweet and caring and every bit as perfect as he had looked when Sungyeol first laid eyes on him. He’s also the weirdest person Sungyeol’s ever met with an insatiable need to touch. He sleeps like the dead and eats enough for five people and is so unbearably cute. And best of all, he’s so completely in love with Sungyeol. (Of course, the older man feels the same.)

Sungyeol already knows he’s won, but he likes the blush on Myungsoo’s cheeks. And the way he squeezes Sungyeol’s hand. "Maybe I just want you all to myself," he says as he leans even closer to the other man. "Plus, there’s a good chance you’ll get some tonight."

Myungsoo snorts. "Am I that easy?" Yet he still pulls Sungyeol along as he turns to go back the way they came.

"Yes. Yes, you are."

Myungsoo laughs, but doesn’t deny it. As they walk, he takes his hand from Sungyeol to slip his arm around his boyfriend’s waist. Sungyeol slings his arm across Myungsoo’s shoulder in response. They haven’t verbally agreed on their dinner plans, but they’ll get to it eventually. For now Sungyeol just wants to enjoy Myungsoo’s warmth.


End file.
